shannon2007

UEFA U-21 Championships 2012 - Final
Faroe Islands v Denmark
Olimpico, Rome Sunday 3rd June 2012
Attendance 21,493

Just under four years ago, the Faroese U-19 side had reached the Final of their respective tournament, only to lose out to Italy in the Final. Four years later, ironically enough in Italy, what is virtually the same side will now take on Denmark, and what a match this promised to be, after the opening day 3-3 draw between the sides. This would be the fourth time the U-21's had met their Danish counterparts under Ingi's rule - and they had yet to win. But records are made to be broken, and the Faroes had little to fear, they had proven by now that they were good enough to compete.

In their original qualifying group, the Danes had come through from England, Northern Ireland, Armenia, and Austria losing only away to England in the process. In the play offs they took on Germany, and after a 1-1 away draw they ran out 3-2 winners in the second leg to book their place in Italy. Here they had of course drawn 3-3 with the Faroes in a classic match, humped Bulgaria 3-0 before a 1-1 draw with hosts Italy saw the Danes into the Semis, where they annihilated Spain 4-1. For sure, this was in no way going to be an easy match for Ingi's troops.

Of the 16 players who had lined up for the Final versus Italy in 2008, 12 were lined up for the match with the Danes. John Hansen and Kaj Kaerbo, both whom were starters that day, were now too old for this side, and to be honest Kaerbo was nowhere near good enough anyway. Magni Danielsen was in the current squad, but had failed to make the side, and Morten Clausen was out injured. The side that had once made Faroese history - give or take a player - and would do so once more lined up as:

GK: Bergur Holst (20) Fylkir
LB: Birgir Joensen (20) [i]Brondby[/i}
RB: Ronnie Danielsen (20) Brondby
CD: Janne Peltonen (21) Brondby
CD: Morten Larsen (21) Brondby
LM: Aki Joensen (21) Brondby
CM: Hallur Joensen (21) Brondby
RM: Mortan Andreason (20) Brondby
LW: Rasmus Nissen (20) Brondby
SC: Anders Berg (21) Brondby
RW: Peter Damgaard (21) Bochum

Subs: Frank Pedersen (GK), Allan Danielsen, Oli Kjaerbo, Kim Joensen, Magnus Poulsen, Pauli Nielsen, Kristian Poulsen

The Danes got off to the brighter start, as Bergus Holst was called into making a brilliant save on the eighth minute. The Faroes seemed to be struggling with occassion, as the failed to make much impact in the early stages, and even when Anders Berg did have a glorious chance to open the scoring, he squandered it in Berg like fashion. The match was pretty dull, the Danes in control but even they were looking nothing better than ordinary. The again it had taken 45 minutes to get a goal in the previous match so there was still plenty of time for this game to explode to life.

Eventually a goal did come, a bit earlier this time but once more it was the Dames who took the lead, 18 year old Benfica player Johan Johansson doing the damage and thats how the match stood at half time. It had been a far from great first half, but everyone expected the second to be better now we had a goal and perhaps in some ways it was. But as the night went on, it was becoming clearer and clearer that the Faroes just were not going to score and with the Danes content to hold their lead the match never became the classic we had all hoped for.

After three minutes of added time, the referee eventually brought the 2012 U-21 Final to an end, and it was Denmark who had run out winners. A disspointing end once more for the Faroes after achieving so much. The only consolation is that they get the chance to do it all again in August - The Faroes have qualified for the Olympic Games!

shannon2007

Olaf Danielsen

The Uruguay job did not last long. Travelling to South America and back was proving too tiresome and despite some decent results and the begging of the Uruguan FA, Olaf decide to hand in his notice and concentrate on managing Brondby. With no Europe to worry about, it was domestic honours that counted - and of course the Royal League.

The Royal League though was to end at the Semi Final stage with a 3-2 aggregate defeat to Viborg, which was a bit of an upset. The Danish Cup was also to be lost at the Semi Final stage, also on a 3-2 aggregate although this time it was to Kobenhavn. In the League, a good start was interupted by successive defeats to Silkeborg and Aab, and for most of the season it was Midtjylland who led the way with Brondby following in their wake.

The end of the season was a bit of a lottery, with virtually the whole first team squad away on U-21 duty with the Faroes and Denmark, meaning the last few games had to be played by the reserves. To their great credit though those reserves did rather well and with the first choice players back for the final match, a win at home to AGF would hand Olaf his 2nd Danish title to add to the four he had won in Iceland. Aki Joensen and an 84th minute penalty from Berg - his 25th league goal of the season - were enough for a 2-1 win and in the end a six point triumph over Midtjylland.

During the close season Olaf refined the squad and for the first time has a squad of 24 all Faroese players to take into the new season - albeit that new signing Jorgen Skov is now an Icelandic international, ironically thanks to Olaf. With a Champions League campaign to run again, Olaf will be looking for a good draw as he looks to finally make the group stages.

retired_marcias

Good stuff

I got into reading my old Faroe Islands CM 01/02 story again yesterday - nowhere near as detailed as this one, but it got me in the Faroese mood again to try it properly (i.e. rather than as a token gesture in my Whitley Bay game that just gets in the way of my club football!) in FM 2006.

Keep it up :thup:

shannon2007

Thanks Glam

shannon2007

Games of the XXX Olympiad, 2012 - Football Tournament
August 20102, England.

The Participants

Group A: Argentina, Denmark, Senegal, South Korea

Group B: Cameroon, Faroe Islands, Japan, Mexico

Group C: Fiji, Ghana, Spain, USA

Group D: Bahrain, Brazil, Hungary, Ivory Coast

This was unexplored territory for the Faroe Islands, no Faroese athlete had ever taken part in the modern Olympic games* - and it was highly unlikely any of them had taken part in the ancient ones! Just by travelling to take part in the 30th modern Olympiad, the 22 selected players were making history - but they were determined to do so much more than that and make up for the dissapoinment of the U-21 Final defeat.

The squad for the Olympics was pretty much that which had taken part in the UEFA U-21 Finals, exceptions being the inclusion of John Hansen who was now 23. The experience gained over the last four years should hold the team in good stead, although facing the likes of Mexico, Japan and Cameroon is certainly something a wee bit different. Good practice though for the World Cup Finals!

Its pretty hard to judge the U-21 sides, as very few games are played at this level outwith the Olympics. Mexico, the Faroes opening oponents, had reached the Quarter Finals of the last Olympiad, before losing to Brazil, that being their last match at this level. The Japanese though had come through an U-23 qualifying tournament that included China, India and Australia and so at least they had some experience of being together as a team as well. For Cameroon, this would be their first match at U-23 level for at least eight years and that might well go against them in the long run.

It took just five minutes for Anders Berg to make his mark on the Olympic Games and in doing so making another piece of history for himself by becoming the first ever Faroese player to score at the Olympic games - on the field at least. There was further bad news for the Mexicans on the half hour as Ricardo Perez was red carded and to complete an almost perfect first half for the Faroes, Anders Berg struck again in injury time. Six minutes into the second half, Berg completed his hattrick to write another piece of Faroese folklore and the Mexicans were a beaten side. In the other Group B match, Japan destroyed the Cameroons by 3-0.

And certainly Japanese experience told in the opening minutes of the second game as Kenji Sato sent them ahead after 17 minutes and when Eiji Tomita made it two nil five minutes from half time, the Faroes had the proverbial mountain to climb. At half time the just back from injury Peter Damgaard replaced the totally ineffective Magnus Poulsen and it certainly seemed to make a difference as the Faroes became a more potent threat. Even so, the Japanese held their lead and it was looking bleak as an hour passed and the Faroes still trailed by those two goals. Eventually though the goal which threatened came, on 67 minutes and it came of course from the golden boot of Anders Berg. Ten minutes later Berg bagged his fifth goal of the tournament as the Faroes clawed back the match and in the end were more than happy to leave with a well fought for point. The Mexicans overcame Cameroon 2-1 to set up a decider with Japan.

Although the Cameroons were out, they were certainly to prove no pushovers as they tried to salvage some pride, and come half time there was still no scoring. The Faroes had been the dominant side for sure, and eventually a goal had to come, which it did. This time it was Aki Joensen, on 56 minutes and twelves minutes from time Kristian Poulsen, who had replaced a strangely ineffective Berg, scored number two and that was that. Mexico overcame the Japanese by 1-0 to also qualify, proving the point that what you do in your opening match is not always all that important.

In the Quarter Finals, attempting to thwart the Faroes quest for glory would be an old, well known enemy - Denmark. A chance then for a bit of revenge. Even if it has been a long time since a Faroese side beat a Danish one at any level. But then again, records are there to fall.....



*I'm pretty sure this correct, but if it's wrong tough, its correct now :p

retired_ruska

THE best story on here. :thup:

shannon2007

Thanks Heward. I'm not quite sure I'd agree with you, but thanks for the compliment

shannon2007

Games of the XXX Olympiad, 2012 - Football Tournament, Quarter Final
Denmark v Faroe Islands
Saturday 18th August 2012

About the only people who probably really wanted the Faroes to lose this match and come home early, were all Danish. Obviously, they wanted their own heroes to win, but on a more personal level the Brondby supporters were a wee bit concerned that virtually their whole squad was away at the Olympics when their own domestic season had just started and their Champions League Qualifying was in full swing. Such was life, but for the Faroese squad they only had one thing in mind - revenge.

In reaching the Semi Finals, the sides would not be guaranteed an Olympic Medal - they would still need to play at the very least a bronze medal play off match. And whilst the Olympic games perhaps don't quite have that much presige in football, it would nevertheless be a great achievement for either of these sides, and it's always a great learning experience for the players in playing against different footballing cultures.

The first half stared as if this was still the U-21 match, neither team looked as if they quite had the know how to break the other down and the familiarity of the sides threatened to turn this into another dour match. The Danes though seemed to have slightly the upper hand, and it was little surprise when they took the lead four minutes from half time through sixteen year old Silkeborg striker Lars Schroder, who looks a fantastic prospect - the kind of mouthwatering player the Faroes can only dream about. Sadly, he does not have a Faroese granny.

The second half for the Faroes started more brightly, a renewed determination that they were not going to lose this match - at least not easily anyway. They were creating chances at least, and finally just after the hour Aki Joensen somehow managed to bundle the ball into net as it bobbled about in the Danish box and the match was level. We were all set for a repeat of that 3-3 classic. Former Brondby player Frederik Friis nearly sent Denmark back into the lead, and Kim Joensen squandered what seemed like an easy chance as the game started to open up. Both sides were creating chances, and eventually one of them went into net and it was, as if to prove that the Faroes do have at least one or mibbe two mouthwatering players, the head of Anders Berg, assisted by a lovely cross from Aki Joensen and with seven minutes to go the Faroes had a finger on an Olympic medal.

The Danes suddenly needed a goal desperately, but as the surged forward so they left space at the back and Peter Damgaard, picking up the ball on the counter, surged forward, feeding the ball through to Anders Berg and he showed all the composure a good striker needs as he slotted the ball home and the Faroes revenge was complete. The Semi Finals of the Olympic Games awaited.

And what a mouthwatering, nerve wracking tie awaited. With Brazil taking on Spain in one Semi Final, the Faroes had been paired with Argentina in the other. The Olympics might not have the prestige of the World Cup, and this side might well have already played Finals at U-19 and U-21 level, but there was little doubt that this would be the biggest match they had ever played in. And the real possibility they could be utterly destroyed - and with either Spain or Brazil waiting, chances of a medal of any colour were certainly looking pretty slim, and in the end 4th place is as bad as last....

BarryLFC

So exciting... :o

shannon2007

Games of the XXX Olympiad, 2012 - Football Tournament, Semi-Final
Faroe Islands v Argentina
Tuesday 21st August 2012

And so we reached the Semi-Final stage, and here there was no hiding place. It wouldn't have mattered who the Faroes drew, be it Spain, Brazil or as they did, Argentina. Any one of those countries should by rights murder the Faroe Islands at any level, and was not without some trepidation that Ingi led his team once more to the new Wembley stadium, that had finally been completed in time for the Olympics.

Argentina had come through a fairly tough Olympic Qualifying schedule, with Venzuela, Uruguay and Peru sent packing in the first qualifying stage, before doing enough against Paraguay, Brazil and Peru again to book their place in England. In the Finals, Argentina were drawn in group A along with Senegal, Denmark and South Korea. It might seem like an easy group, but at this level football is so rarely that predictable. And indeed, it certainly proved to be no easy ride with a narrow 1-0 win over Senegal, a 1-1 draw with Denmark and a 2-0 triumph over South Korea to book a quarter final match with the Mexicans, who tried their best to upset the odds but eventually succumbed by 2-1.

And so it fell to Ingi's side to try where the others had failed, and stop Argentina getting to their fourth Olympic Games Final. The match started tamely enough as the sides sussed each other, but Berg had a decent half chance on just seven minutes but unusually he blootered it over the bar. Argentina almost scored on 13 minutes, Holst pulling off a fantastic save, and Andreasen managed to boot the resultant corner kick anywhere up the park, and the chance had gone. Seconds later though the Faroes had a chance of their own as Nissen fed Berg, who skipped passed Argentinian defender Escobar, but the keeper pulled off a decent save in the end.

Five minutes later Aki Joensen almost turned the ball into his net from a Villaba shot, but Holst managed to save the midfielders blushes and keep the Faroes hopes alive. And as the match progressed, so the Argentines grew stronger and stronger and the Faroes had to endure some immense pressure and were saved only by some fantastic keeping from Bergur Holst who was playing like a man inspires and incredibly as the referee blew for the end of the first forty five minutes it was still all square at no goals each.

The second half began much as the first has ended as Argentina continued to surge forward and both Gomez and Nieto had great chances to open the scoring, but their efforts failed to match the build up and the Faroese defence continued to hold firm. On 55 minutes Nissen had a great chance to snatch the lead for the Faroes as he got his head to an Aki Joensen free kick, but keeper Garica managed to knock the ball away. The ball only fell to Joensen though, who chipped it back once more to Nissed but again Garcia got a hand to the header, only for it fall to Peter Damgaard but the wingers shot wasn't really good enough and Garcia gratefully held the ball to chest. It was possibly the best chance the Faroes were going to get in this match, and it had gone.

On 57 minutes though, the Faroes had another great chance to turn the tide. Argentine defender Javier Guttierez, who ironically playes his football in Denmark with Viborg, was adjudged to have fouled Anders Berg almost right on the 18 yard line. For a few seconds it seemed as if the Faroes might have a penalty, but after red carding the Argentine, presumably as he was the last man, the referee then gave a free kick only millimeters from the line. Aki Joensen lined up the free kick, but the wall did its job and deflected it behind for a corner, which came to nothing. A few seconds later Morten Larsen had a chance, but it went well wide.

The Faroes were trying to make the extra man count and first Overgaard then Berg had good chances just after the hour, but both were squandered and the match was slowly but surely heading for an extra thirty minutes - which probably wouldn't be a bad thing for the Faroes playing as they were against a team with a man short. Argentina were still looking dangerous, but nine minutes from time a great chance fell to Peter Damgaard, but once more Garcia pulled off a great save to deny the winger.

As time ran out, so Argentina, even with ten men, began to re-impose their domination and took some excellent keeping, defending and a damn sight of blind luck to keep the scores level. The four minutes of added on time came and went and the Faroes won a corner on the right, but the Argentina defence cleared the poor effort away. It was time to get ready for added on time, and not only had Argentina been reduced to ten men but they had also used all their substitutes, Ingi still had all three of his sub cards to play.

Just as Ingi was turning to the bench for prepare for the extra time period, suddenly a roar went up and he quickly turned round Garcia was picking the ball out from the back of the net. With ninety four minutes and eleven seconds on the clock, Aki Joensen had latched onto a long desperate ball played in without any real purpose by right back Ronnie Danielsen and beyond all reason the Faroes had reached the Final of the Olympic Games. And they say there's no such thing as miracles.......